Traditional spinal braces are used as a method of minimizing pain and inducing healing after an injury or spinal surgery. Braces are used to provide stabilization of the patients lumbar region and provide support to the involved spinal structural tissues.
There are a variety of spinal braces available. Each has features that achieve that are beneficial to the wearer of the brace. These features can be related to comfort to the wearer, ease of use to the wearer, and cost, which also varies in degree. In most instances, one or more of these features are compromised to enhance the other features.
For example, it is generally is accepted that a custom-made spinal brace is believed to provide the highest degree of stabilization and support. However, custom made braces have disadvantages in comfort and lack of adjustability. Adjustable devices, on the other hand, comprise elastic features for support, and thus, are more comfortable and usable by patients of different sizes. However, many of these braces offer a lesser degree of support and stabilization.
There are also spinal braces that are referred to as custom-fit braces. These braces include pre-manufactured parts that allow some room for movement for fitting patient's of different sizes. These braces may fit better for the individual but many of custom-fit braces rely on flexible non-rigid parts to achieve a degree of adjustability. Fitting for comfort may compromise immobilization and support for the lumbar spine.
As such, a brace that provides immobilization, support, vertebral decompression, comfort, and ease of use is desirable.